A few hours before Shabbat in Israel, Jerusalem’s Chief Rabbi Aryeh Stern posted an arresting photograph on his Hebrew Facebook page. In it, the ultra-Orthodox cleric, in his full rabbinic regalia, is holding the hand of a victim of Jerusalem pride parade attack. Six people were initially reported as wounded, including a sixteen-year-old girl who who later died. The alleged assailant, Yishai Schlissel, was an ultra-Orthodox man who had previously served 10 years in prison for a similar crime in 2005.

At the hospital, Stern said, “The person that committed this sinful act is a criminal in every way, and his intention to kill Jews is something which is terrifying.”

Other ultra-Orthodox figures have also sharply condemned the attack. “The Torah of the Jewish people is the Torah of life, and the value of life is above everything,” said Moshe Gafni, head of ultra-Orthodox UTJ party. “The attempt to kill & injure is something severe which we utterly reject. [It] is opposed by Judaism, morality, Jewish law, and our path since we have been a people.” Read More